Blog

I grew up helping out on my family's century farm — raising sheep and working row crops. Those early mornings taught me something simple: farmers don't ask for much. They plan years ahead, borrow...

This week, Iowa is grieving.  Kelly and I are heartbroken alongside every Iowan learning that Sergeant Declan Coady of West Des Moines and Major Jeffrey O'Brien of Waukee were killed in Kuwait while...

Since U.S. military strikes against Iran began last weekend, I've heard from Iowans across our communities — from families with loved ones overseas to those anxiously following developments from...

This week, we begin shaping the new Farm Bill — and for Iowa, that's a big deal.  Why it matters: Nearly 97% of Iowa farms are family-owned operations. Farmers plan years ahead, and they often...

It's time to ban insider trading for Members of Congress. Elected officials have access to information the public doesn’t — and we serve on committees that oversee the very industries we regulate....

For thousands of families across central Iowa, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, or DART, is how they get to a shift at MercyOne, community college classes, or church on a Sunday...

Last night, a son of Iowa was honored in Washington.  Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar of Des Moines served his community, his state, and his nation with pride. He was a loyal friend, a...

In rural Iowa, the nearest hospital isn’t just a building — it’s a lifeline. And in many towns, it’s the only one for miles. When that hospital struggles to hire nurses, absorb rising costs, and...

In small towns across Iowa, history isn’t confined to museums — it lives on Main Street. And when local communities see an opportunity to build on that legacy, they are the first to step up. That’s...

Last year, a 69-year-old Des Moines retiree thought he found a friend online. One month later, $164,000 of his life savings was gone. He’d fallen victim to a “pig butchering” scam — a sophisticated...

On December 13, 2025, Iowa lost two of its own when Iowa National Guard Staff Sergeants Edgar Torres-Tovar and William “Nate” Howard were killed in a cowardly ISIS attack in Syria while serving our...

Iowa farmers are being told their pork can't make it to market unless they follow rules written in California. That's Proposition 12 — a mandate that blocks Iowa pork from being sold in one of the...

Across Iowa, families are focused on building their futures: saving for a first home, making sure the family doctor is there when they need one, and raising kids in safe communities. But too often,...

Valentine’s Day is a reminder to slow down and cherish the people who matter the most. For Kelly and me, that means carving out time amid six busy kids, long weeks in Washington, and life back home...

In small towns across Iowa, seeing a doctor often means a 30- or 60-minute drive, time off work, and miles on a two-lane highway. That reality hasn’t changed — but how we deliver care has. The...

Iowa is the #1 state for fiscal responsibility for a reason — we believe in saving, investing, and building something that lasts for the next generation. The problem: Over the past several years,...

Homeownership is at the heart of the American dream — but I hear from Iowans every day who are working hard and still watching that dream slip further out of reach.  The problem: For more than 20...

Iowa farmers plan in the winter, plant in the spring, work through the summer, and harvest in the fall. But too many Iowa producers are being forced to wait on Washington instead of planning ahead —...

When Iowa communities see a real need, they don’t sit around waiting on Washington — they get to work. One of the best parts of my job is helping local leaders turn their ideas into reality by...

For years, Iowa producers have told me the same thing: input costs are too high, and margins are too tight. When fertilizer prices spike, farm incomes take a hit. That isn't just market noise — it's...